Takin' a Bite Out of the Big Apple
by AutumnFairy7337
Summary: From the orphanage in India to the hubbub of midtown Manhattan, into an Upper West Side penthouse with three siblings, a butler, and a nanny... Ravi Ross's journey is told in a little bites out of the Big Apple. / A collection of drabbles and vignettes, exploring tje character of Ravi Ross.
1. Introduction

**Disclaimer: **I do not own the Disney Channel TV series, _JESSIE_.

**Author's Note: **This little _JESSIE_ fanfic I'm starting is three things. One, an exploration into Ravi's character and the world around him (because he's always been my favorite character since the episode _Take the A-Train…I Think_). Two, a personal project to keep myself sane while I'm in college. Like a fantasy world/stress reliever of some sort…yeah I'm a little weird, ha-ha. And three, I guess this is sort of my way of holding on to one of the few Disney Channel shows that I could watch over and over and over and over again (and still laugh at the jokes and overall silliness…).

Part of me kind of doubts anyone is going to see this, or even care to see it. But I don't really care…because I'm just doing this for myself. Though, if anyone does see this...well thank you for stopping by and I hope you enjoy it….

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**Introduction**

India, Calcutta, and the orphanage he grew up in were far behind him now.

The plane ride from New Delhi to New York City was a 14-hour flight. He spent nearly eight and a half of those hours curled up in a seat, sleeping. On the other side of the plane, Mr. Daddy and Mrs. Mommy were still asleep in each other's arms.

It was plane turbulence that initially woke him up. It rocked the jet a little and jolted him awake. At first, he felt panicked - _Was something wrong with the plane?_ – until he remembered what he learned on his first ride in the private jet (which was only four days ago) – that turbulence was normal.

(But, admittedly, it still made him slightly uneasy…)

Outside, the dark orange sun was just rising from its own slumber, winking good morning from its place above the horizon. The young Indian boy rubbed his eyes and repositioned himself so he was kneeling in front of the window, his nose just an inch away from pressing against cold surface of the plexiglass. Turbulence, once again, shook the jet slightly.

As the small plane continued to ride air currents up and down, it dipped its wing, eagerly pointing out something below. With tired eyes blinking into the direct sunlight, they focused on the very first thing that popped up in his line of vision.

Buildings.

Lots of buildings. Tall ones, mostly, surrounded by wisps of thin clouds.

Then he saw smaller buildings, and in the distance, a long stretch of water (the Hudson River, as he would come to know it later).

Manhattan. As they were leaving New Delhi fourteen hours ago, his new parents spent the first two hours of the time telling him all about Manhattan, the penthouse by Central Park, and his new siblings.

Inside, the boy was feeling a tingle of…something. He wasn't sure _what_ it was, exactly. Was it joy? Exhilaration? Jitters? All three at once? From 30,000 feet above the ground, the city looked very big. It almost looked intimidating, but at the same time, inviting. And there were at least a million – literally, one million – things down there for him to explore. A new city, a new home, and a new family.

He couldn't wait to get started.

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**Author's Note:** Not the end…only the beginning. (Sorry, couldn't resist…xD)


	2. Footage

**Disclaimer: **I do not own the Disney Channel TV series, _JESSIE_.

**Author's Note: **Hello, back again. First, thank you everyone who reviewed, favorited, and/or followed _Takin' A Bite Out of the Big Apple_ so far. Second, I did plan to update last week, but with finals, packing, and preparing to move out of the dorm, I kind of had to put writing aside for the moment. Now that I've completed my freshman year of college and I'm on summer break, I can focus more on writing. :)

Anyway…

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**Footage**

They say that memories are a lot like playing a movie.

All you do is bring up a series of clips in your mind, and they can be replayed over and over again. For Ravi, remembering the first four years of his childhood – the start of the film – is like trying to remember something he forgot. Like a life that he no longer knew. From before growing up in the orphanage, before his adoption.

He thinks about it occasionally. But as much as he tries to remember, it's like trying to watch broken video footage. No audio, and the clips are much too short. The film quality is mostly faded and blurry. Some images, though, are a little clearer than others, playing like slideshow in his head – _a sunlit window,_ _a city street lined with shops, and wooden toys scattered across a hardwood floor_…

Ravi doesn't remember his biological father. There's no footage of the man. All Ravi knows about him is a name on his birth certificate. Just a name.

He remembers his birth mother, who died in a car accident when he was four. The footage is not much, but the clips of her are the clearest. Sometimes, she can picture her smiling.

Sometimes she's sad, and he's not sure why.

Sometimes, she's talking to him. But he doesn't know what she's saying.

Ravi wants to remember more. He wants to _know_ more. But he can't. There's just not enough footage.

~*~O~*~

_He closes his eyes, and the memory starts off like it always starts. _

_He's about three, maybe four years old, in a small room – a kitchen. With small hands gripping the edge of the counter,_ _he stands on his tippy-toes, round brown eyes peeking over the countertop. Around him, the kitchen walls are painted creamy white – or are they really painted yellow? Pale sunlight dances across the kitchen walls, inviting itself into the room from a small, square window._

_In front of the window, there's a woman. His mother. Her dark hair is pulled into a silky braid down her back. She's standing at the stovetop, cooking…_

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**A/N: **Sorry this was really short. I'm working on the whole length thing with my writing. Next, I've planned to focus on the relationships of Ravi and the rest of the Ross family (including Jessie and Bertram) from the start of the series… See you next time. :)


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